Construction underway on new Lower East Side ferry landing

Mayor Bill de Blasio and local officials were on hand in Manhattan on Wednesday to kick off the construction of a new East River ferry landing.

The new dock on the Lower East Side will help give commuters a quicker way to get around when the landing opens this summer.

"Our streets are too congested. Our highways are too congested. Our subways are too crowded. We needed more alternatives. The city is growing," Mayor de Blasio said. "And where could we turn? Right here to the water. And as you can see, it's not crowded, it's not congested."

When the service launches, Mayor de Blasio says Lower East Side residents will have a 9 minute ride to Wall Street or a 17 minute ride to Midtown.